Have you ever had someone lean into you and say, “you are better than that?” Maybe at work - you took a shortcut and told yourself, you can do better. Maybe in college, a paper you did - you are better. Maybe in sports - you can do better than you did today. Maybe in marriage - you are better than this. Don't do that. Maybe in Church - you are better than that. Don't fall for that stuff.
What are they saying... You are made for more!!! Ephesians chapter 2-3 challenges us that we are Made for More. We tend to believe we are made to....Make Money, Raise a family, Be successful, Get married and be a great spouse. But I think all that is a by-product of what we are made for. We are Made for more!!! So the next few minutes we want to look into how we are Made for more.
Today Ephesians 2:1-10
In Greek, this is all just 2 sentences. 1-7 is one sentence and 8-10 is the second sentence. All to say.... God Made us for MORE. Paul has taken us from how we are KNOWN by JESUS to how we are MADE for MORE through JESUS.
Eph 2:1-10 [NIV] As for you, We know what God did "Placed all things under his feet (vs 1:22)you were dead in your transgressions and sins, (Not a Physical death but spiritual death) Like a family member who was kicked out of their house, not because they were not loved but because their SIN did not allow them to be there. A family member kicked the kid out and the kid slept in a ditch at the end of their driveway.... Not because he was not loved, but because his rebellion removed him from the love that he was given. He rejected their love through his rebellion... Sin displays a rejection of the Love that you have been given. So.... as for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, Paul goes on to say we all have lived there 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Doing what we want to do instead of following God's ways for our life. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. We deserved what we were getting because we were made to live opposite of the way we are (were) living. God designed us for MORE, yet SIN and Rebellion get the best of us. We don't turn from Sin, we turn into SIN - temptation We don't run from SIN, we tend to RUN to it -Gossip Sin consumes us.... because we were born into it.
The result of not repenting of SIN... This "WRATH" is God's holy anger against SIN that results in Judgement AND THE SAD NEWS IS WE ALL ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS judgement. Wrongdoing has consequences. Sin has consequences. When you break a "law" you have to pay the price.
Speed = get a ticket
Late to school = tardy
Steal at work = get fired
Don't do what your boss says = loss of favor
Disobey parents = no phone, no car, no going out, and no video games!
Sin.... "wrongdoing"... has consequences. And by the way, he makes sure to say... All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. Cravings.... Desires Like when you are eating healthy and you walk by a box full of donuts someone brought by the office or pass Waffle House. We are all Guilty!!!! Most do not like this in today's world... We want the feel-good sermon. We want God to want all of us and we all want to go to heaven.
See Paul is reminding the Ephesus church. God knows you and longs to be with you but our SINS separate us from Him and there is nothing you can do to earn it back. Truth is.... When you don't realize you are made for more, you live in the pleasures of the world over new-found peace through being In Christ! You just don't know what you don't know right? To understand you are Made for More, you have to understand where you are!
Now....
If we understand vs1-3 we live grateful for 4-10 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. So our SINS separate us from God and keep us from spending an eternity with God. BUT - But is a coordinating conjunction used to connect ideas that contrast. PAUL SAYS.... BUT.... GOD!! 45 times those 2 words are found in scripture....
Paul says.... We were born into this world enslaved by Satan and doing whatever we want, living however we want, acting out however we want, and destined for an eternity in a real place called HELL. We were Hopeless and helpless
BUT.... GOD!!
BUT GOD connects ideas that contrast. Let’s look at these passages... For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 6:23 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . . 1 Corinthians 10:13 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.- 1 Corinthians 3:6
him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead . . .Acts 13:29-30
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. Jonah 2:6
Think about it here...
You were dead, you were without Hope, you were without direction, you were headed to eternal separation from God... BUT GOD... I love the 3 HUGE Statements he makes following BUT GOD... Statements he makes....
But God Loves you
But God is Rich in Mercy
But God makes you Alive in Christ
This reminds me of 2 Peter 3:9 [NIV] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. God Loved us - That he sent Jesus to die for us. (John 3:16) God had mercy on Us that He did not turn His back to us in the middle of our SIN - While we were sinners Christ died for us - Romans 5:8 God displayed GRACE to us that He accepted us just the way we are. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The gospel defined in 2 Words -
Victory found in 2 words
Hope displayed in 2 words
Grace Defined in 2 words: BUT GOD
That is why Paul penned.... - it is by grace you have been saved.
You can do nothing to earn it
You can do nothing to change it
You can do nothing to force it...
BUT GOD displayed his grace so all you have to do is receive it. Why would God do this for us? Vs 7... in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. This is talking about Heaven. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- He is saying.... God Gifted His grace to you so be responsible with the Gift. You did nothing to earn this. Notice he says... by grace, you have been saved, through faith BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.
He is saying... Faith is how you receive salvation, not a deed to earn salvation. Salvation is given BY GRACE and is received THROUGH FAITH. Salvation is a gift that must be received!!! That is why he says.... 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. You are not saved by Works or Deeds. Do you know that the Barna Group found that a majority of people who describe themselves as Christian (52%) believe that a person can gain eternal salvation by "being or doing good"? Yet that is the opposite of Scripture. It feels good but it is not the truth.
Eph 2:9 Not by Works
Roman 9:16 It (salvation) does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. Paul wanted the Ephesus church to know... THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO BE SAVED....
No need to stress any longer
No need to try any harder
No need to clean yourself up anymore
No need to try to fix your past first
No need to do anything.... It has already been done for you; all you have to do is accept it by placing your faith in Christ. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. Then what are we made for once we are saved? Well.... Because you are saved.... 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. He is saying... True Faith will work. We are not saved by Works, but once we are saved through placing our Faith in Christ Jesus, we will work.
You were saved to serve not to sit. Why? You realize you are MADE FOR MORE!
Listen...
God displayed His grace for you so that through you others may see the incomparable riches of his grace. Through GOD GRACE God displays YOU ARE MADE FOR MORE. You have a great purpose. You have a great meaning in life. You have a great drive in you. It is to live a life as a Kingdom Influencer. Paul is saying YOU ARE GOD'S PLAN to DISPLAY His GRACE by how you live a life surrendered to Him! YOU ARE MADE FOR MORE!! You are Made to be God's Handiwork, not the world's trophy! It is who you are called to be!!!
Go back to the beginning... you were spiritually dead. You used to live when you followed the ways of this world. I love the past tense... You were dead but you are not anymore. You were trying to earn it but you no longer do! You made a decision to change. You made a choice to follow. You chose Jesus!!!
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The link to this past Sundays sermon is below
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsCommunityChurchOrlando/videos/2137710979933328